The Sandal-wood party--Native children's games, somewhat
surprising--Desperate amusements suddenly and fatally brought to a
close--An old friend recognised--News--Romata's mad conduct.
Next day the wood-cutting party went ashore again, and I accompanied them
as before. During the dinner hour I wandered into the woods alone, being
disinclined for food that day. I had not rambled far when I found myself
unexpectedly on the sea-shore, having crossed a narrow neck of land which
separated the native village from a large bay. Here I found a party of
the islanders busy with one of their war-canoes, which was almost ready
for launching. I stood for a long time watching this party with great
interest, and observed that they fastened the timbers and planks to each
other very much in the same way in which I had seen Jack fasten those of
our little boat. But what surprised me most was its immense length,
which I measured very carefully, and found to be a hundred feet long; and
it was so capacious that it could have held three hundred men. It had
the unwieldy out-rigger and enormously high stern-posts which I had
remarked on the canoe that came to us while I was on the Coral Island.
Observing some boys playing at games a short way along the beach, I
resolved to go and watch them; but as I turned from the natives who were
engaged so busily and cheerfully at their work, I little thought of the
terrible event that hung on the completion of that war-canoe.
Advancing towards the children, who were so numerous that I began to
think this must be the general play-ground of the village, I sat down on
a grassy bank under the shade of a plantain-tree, to watch them. And a
happier or more noisy crew I have never seen. There were at least two
hundred of them, both boys and girls, all of whom were clad in no other
garments than their own glossy little black skins, except the maro, or
strip of cloth round the loins of the boys, and a very short petticoat or
kilt on the girls. They did not all play at the same game, but amused
themselves in different groups.
One band was busily engaged in a game exactly similar to our blind-man's-
buff. Another set were walking on stilts, which raised the children
three feet from the ground. They were very expert at this amusement and
seldom tumbled. In another place I observed a group of girls standing
together, and apparently enjoying themselves very much; so I went up to
see what they were doing, and found that they were opening their eye-lids
with their fingers till their eyes appeared of an enormous size, and then
thrusting pieces of straw between the upper and lower lids, across the
eye-ball, to keep them in that position! This seemed to me, I must
confess, a very foolish as well as dangerous amusement. Nevertheless the
children seemed to be greatly delighted with the hideous faces they made.
I pondered this subject a good deal, and thought that if little children
knew how silly they seem to grown-up people when they make faces, they
would not be so fond of doing it. In another place were a number of boys
engaged in flying kites, and I could not help wondering that some of the
games of those little savages should be so like to our own, although they
had never seen us at play. But the kites were different from ours in
many respects, being of every variety of shape. They were made of very
thin cloth, and the boys raised them to a wonderful height in the air by
means of twine made from the cocoa-nut husk. Other games there were,
some of which showed the natural depravity of the hearts of these poor
savages, and made me wish fervently that missionaries might be sent out
to them. But the amusement which the greatest number of the children of
both sexes seemed to take chief delight in, was swimming and diving in
the sea; and the expertness which they exhibited was truly amazing. They
seemed to have two principal games in the water, one of which was to dive
off a sort of stage which had been erected near a deep part of the sea,
and chase each other in the water. Some of them went down to an
extraordinary depth; others skimmed along the surface, or rolled over and
over like porpoises, or diving under each other, came up unexpectedly and
pulled each other down by a leg or an arm. They never seemed to tire of
this sport, and, from the great heat of the water in the South Seas, they
could remain in it nearly all day without feeling chilled. Many of these
children were almost infants, scarce able to walk; yet they staggered
down the beach, flung their round fat little black bodies fearlessly into
deep water, and struck out to sea with as much confidence as ducklings.
The other game to which I have referred was swimming in the surf. But as
this is an amusement in which all engage, from children of ten to gray-
headed men of sixty, and as I had an opportunity of witnessing it in
perfection the day following, I shall describe it more minutely.
I suppose it was in honour of their guest that this grand swimming-match
was got up, for Romata came and told the captain that they were going to
engage in it, and begged him to "come and see."
"What sort of amusement is this surf swimming?" I inquired of Bill, as we
walked together to a part of the shore on which several thousands of the
natives were assembled.
"It's a very favourite lark with these 'xtr'or'nary critters," replied
Bill, giving a turn to the quid of tobacco that invariably bulged out his
left cheek. "Ye see, Ralph, them fellows take to the water as soon
a'most as they can walk, an' long before they can do that anything
respectably, so that they are as much at home in the sea as on the land.
Well, ye see, I 'spose they found swimmin' for miles out to sea, and
divin' fathoms deep, wasn't exciting enough, so they invented this game
o' the surf. Each man and boy, as you see, has got a short board or
plank, with which he swims out for a mile or more to sea, and then,
gettin' on the top o' yon thundering breaker, they come to shore on the
top of it, yellin' and screechin' like fiends. It's a marvel to me that
they're not dashed to shivers on the coral reef, for sure an' sartin am I
that if any o' us tried it, we wouldn't be worth the fluke of a broken
anchor after the wave fell. But there they go!"
As he spoke, several hundreds of the natives, amongst whom we were now
standing, uttered a loud yell, rushed down the beach, plunged into the
surf, and were carried off by the seething foam of the retreating wave.
At the point where we stood, the encircling coral reef joined the shore,
so that the magnificent breakers, which a recent stiff breeze had
rendered larger than usual, fell in thunder at the feet of the multitudes
who lined the beach. For some time the swimmers continued to strike out
to sea, breasting over the swell like hundreds of black seals. Then they
all turned, and, watching an approaching billow, mounted its white crest,
and, each laying his breast on the short flat board, came rolling towards
the shore, careering on the summit of the mighty wave, while they and the
onlookers shouted and yelled with excitement. Just as the monster wave
curled in solemn majesty to fling its bulky length upon the beach, most
of the swimmers slid back into the trough behind; others, slipping off
their boards, seized them in their hands, and, plunging through the
watery waste, swam out to repeat the amusement; but a few, who seemed to
me the most reckless, continued their career until they were launched
upon the beach, and enveloped in the churning foam and spray. One of
these last came in on the crest of the wave most manfully, and landed
with a violent bound almost on the spot where Bill and I stood. I saw by
his peculiar head-dress that he was the chief whom the tribe entertained
as their guest. The sea-water had removed nearly all the paint with
which his face had been covered; and, as he rose panting to his feet, I
recognised, to my surprise, the features of Tararo, my old friend of the
Coral Island!
Tararo at the same moment recognised me, and, advancing quickly, took me
round the neck and rubbed noses; which had the effect of transferring a
good deal of the moist paint from his nose to mine. Then, recollecting
that this was not the white man's mode of salutation, he grasped me by
the hand and shook it violently.
"Hallo, Ralph!" cried Bill, in surprise, "that chap seems to have taken a
sudden fancy to you, or he must be an old acquaintance."
"Right, Bill," I replied, "he is indeed an old acquaintance;" and I
explained in a few words that he was the chief whose party Jack and
Peterkin and I had helped to save.
Tararo having thrown away his surf-board, entered into an animated
conversation with Bill, pointing frequently during the course of it to
me; whereby I concluded he must be telling him about the memorable
battle, and the part we had taken in it. When he paused, I begged of
Bill to ask him about the woman Avatea, for I had some hope that she
might have come with Tararo on this visit. "And ask him," said I, "who
she is, for I am persuaded she is of a different race from the
Feejeeans." On the mention of her name the chief frowned darkly, and
seemed to speak with much anger.
"You're right, Ralph," said Bill, when the chief had ceased to talk;
"she's not a Feejee girl, but a Samoan. How she ever came to this place
the chief does not very clearly explain, but he says she was taken in
war, and that he got her three years ago, an' kept her as his daughter
ever since. Lucky for her, poor girl, else she'd have been roasted and
eaten like the rest."
"But why does Tararo frown and look so angry?" said I.
"Because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most o' the sex, an' won't
marry the man he wants her to. It seems that a chief of some other
island came on a visit to Tararo and took a fancy to her, but she
wouldn't have him on no account, bein' already in love, and engaged to a
young chief whom Tararo hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy; so,
as he was going on a war expedition in his canoe, he left her to think
about it, sayin' he'd be back in six months or so, when he hoped she
wouldn't be so obstropolous. This happened just a week ago; an' Tararo
says that if she's not ready to go, when the chief returns, as his bride,
she'll be sent to him as a _long pig_."
"As a long pig!" I exclaimed in surprise; "why what does he mean by
that?"
"He means somethin' very unpleasant," answered Bill with a frown. "You
see these blackguards eat men an' women just as readily as they eat pigs;
and, as baked pigs and baked men are very like each other in appearance,
they call men _long_ pigs. If Avatea goes to this fellow as a long pig,
it's all up with her, poor thing."
"Is she on the island now?" I asked eagerly.
"No, she's at Tararo's island."
"And where does it lie?"
"About fifty or sixty miles to the south'ard o' this," returned Bill;
"but I--"
At this moment we were startled by the cry of "Mao! mao!--a shark! a
shark!" which was immediately followed by a shriek that rang clear and
fearfully loud above the tumult of cries that arose from the savages in
the water and on the land. We turned hastily towards the direction
whence the cry came, and had just time to observe the glaring eye-balls
of one of the swimmers as he tossed his arms in the air. Next instant he
was pulled under the waves. A canoe was instantly launched, and the hand
of the drowning man was caught, but only half of his body was dragged
from the maw of the monster, which followed the canoe until the water
became so shallow that it could scarcely swim. The crest of the next
billow was tinged with red as it rolled towards the shore.
In most countries of the world this would have made a deep impression on
the spectators, but the only effect it had upon these islanders was to
make them hurry with all speed out of the sea, lest a similar fate should
befall some of the others; but, so utterly reckless were they of human
life, that it did not for a moment suspend the progress of their
amusements. It is true the surf-swimming ended for that time somewhat
abruptly, but they immediately proceeded with other games. Bill told me
that sharks do not often attack the surf-swimmers, being frightened away
by the immense numbers of men and boys in the water, and by the shouting
and splashing that they make. "But," said he, "such a thing as you have
seen just now don't frighten them much. They'll be at it again to-morrow
or next day, just as if there wasn't a single shark between Feejee and
Nova Zembla."
After this the natives had a series of wrestling and boxing matches; and
being men of immense size and muscle, they did a good deal of injury to
each other, especially in boxing, in which not only the lower orders, but
several of the chiefs and priests engaged. Each bout was very quickly
terminated, for they did not pretend to a scientific knowledge of the
art, and wasted no time in sparring, but hit straight out at each other's
heads, and their blows were delivered with great force. Frequently one
of the combatants was knocked down with a single blow; and one gigantic
fellow hit his adversary so severely that he drove the skin entirely off
his forehead. This feat was hailed with immense applause by the
spectators.
During these exhibitions, which were very painful to me, though I confess
I could not refrain from beholding them, I was struck with the beauty of
many of the figures and designs that were tattooed on the persons of the
chiefs and principal men. One figure, that seemed to me very elegant,
was that of a palm-tree tattooed on the back of a man's leg, the roots
rising, as it were, from under his heel, the stem ascending the tendon of
the ankle, and the graceful head branching out upon the calf. I
afterwards learned that this process of tattooing is very painful, and
takes long to do, commencing at the age of ten, and being continued at
intervals up to the age of thirty. It is done by means of an instrument
made of bone, with a number of sharp teeth with which the skin is
punctured. Into these punctures a preparation made from the kernel of
the candle-nut, mixed with cocoa-nut oil, is rubbed, and the mark thus
made is indelible. The operation is performed by a class of men whose
profession it is, and they tattoo as much at a time, as the person on
whom they are operating can bear; which is not much, the pain and
inflammation caused by tattooing being very great, sometimes causing
death. Some of the chiefs were tattooed with an ornamental stripe down
the legs, which gave them the appearance of being clad in tights. Others
had marks round the ankles and insteps, which looked like tight-fitting
and elegant boots. Their faces were also tattooed, and their breasts
were very profusely marked with every imaginable species of
device,--muskets, dogs, birds, pigs, clubs, and canoes, intermingled with
lozenges, squares, circles, and other arbitrary figures.
The women were not tattooed so much as the men, having only a few marks
on their feet and arms. But I must say, however objectionable this
strange practice may be, it nevertheless had this good effect, that it
took away very much from their appearance of nakedness.
Next day, while we were returning from the woods to our schooner, we
observed Romata rushing about in the neighbourhood of his house,
apparently mad with passion.
"Ah!" said Bill to me, "there he's at his old tricks again. That's his
way when he gets drink. The natives make a sort of drink o' their own,
and it makes him bad enough; but when he gets brandy he's like a wild
tiger. The captain, I suppose, has given him a bottle, as usual, to keep
him in good humour. After drinkin' he usually goes to sleep, and the
people know it well and keep out of his way, for fear they should waken
him. Even the babies are taken out of ear-shot; for, when he's waked up,
he rushes out just as you see him now, and spears or clubs the first
person he meets."
It seemed at the present time, however, that no deadly weapon had been in
his way, for the infuriated chief was raging about without one. Suddenly
he caught sight of an unfortunate man who was trying to conceal himself
behind a tree. Rushing towards him, Romata struck him a terrible blow on
the head, which knocked out the poor man's eye and also dislocated the
chief's finger. The wretched creature offered no resistance; he did not
even attempt to parry the blow. Indeed, from what Bill said, I found
that he might consider himself lucky in having escaped with his life,
which would certainly have been forfeited had the chief been possessed of
a club at the time.
"Have these wretched creatures no law among themselves," said I, "which
can restrain such wickedness?"
"None," replied Bill. "The chief's word is law. He might kill and eat a
dozen of his own subjects any day for nothing more than his own pleasure,
and nobody would take the least notice of it."
This ferocious deed took place within sight of our party as we wended our
way to the beach, but I could not observe any other expression on the
faces of the men than that of total indifference or contempt. It seemed
to me a very awful thing that it should be possible for men to come to
such hardness of heart and callousness to the sight of bloodshed and
violence; but, indeed, I began to find that such constant exposure to
scenes of blood was having a slight effect upon myself, and I shuddered
when I came to think that I, too, was becoming callous.
I thought upon this subject much that night while I walked up and down
the deck during my hours of watch; and I came to the conclusion that if
I, who hated, abhorred, and detested such bloody deeds as I had witnessed
within the last few weeks, could so soon come to be less sensitive about
them, how little wonder that these poor ignorant savages, who were born
and bred in familiarity therewith, should think nothing of them at all,
and should hold human life in so very slight esteem.